HTML help

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 21 Oct 2002 5:52 pm

OK, on my website I have some .mp3 files. However, when you click on the link to the files it immediately starts to *stream* the files. I do not want that. I want that alert box to pop up and prompt the user if they would like to Open, Download or Cancel. Just like a .doc, .ppt or whatever. Is this possible with a .mp3 in HTML? Is there a HTML tag that will prompt that dialog box. Right now I just have a line on my page telling users to right-click and select "save target as".

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 21 Oct 2002 7:54 pm

Remove the mime type from your server configuration.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 21 Oct 2002 7:59 pm

Hi Mark, emailed you.

Colin Goss · Post by **Colin Goss** » 22 Oct 2002 12:17 am

Well actually, I wanted to stream mine, but just couldn't get it to work. So how do I go about streaming MP3s??

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 22 Oct 2002 12:23 am

Colin, streaming MP3's isn't usually done because only those with a high-speed connection can usually stream them without stops and starts. A 56k dialup can't get enough fast enough to keep up. If you still want to stream them, one way is to link them from a .ram page same as you'd do for streaming RealAudio files.

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 22 Oct 2002 6:09 am

**UPDATE**

OK, I don't host my own site, so I have no control over the server. I contacted the hosting company and they told me it was a client machine configuration that streams them. I then told him that ALL clients that visit my site and are you trying to tell me that all clients are configured this way, he just replied "It's not our problem it is yours!" I hate that damn answer!!!

If anyone has anymore suggestions (Besides finding a new hosting company) please let me know.

Thanks,
Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Jeff Agnew · Post by **Jeff Agnew** » 22 Oct 2002 8:22 am

b0b is correct - file handling is a server function controlled by MIME mapping. This is a simple table that tells the server how to process a file with a given extension, such as .mp3.

If you had access to the server, you could easily change the file association. Either your ISP lied or they don't know what they're doing on their own server.

A user can also change how a file is handled by their own browser. In other words, you could configure IE to download an mp3 rather than play it. But this is even more of a distraction than asking your user to "Save As...".

I can't think of any options that don't involve more work for the user. On servers I haven't controlled I've resorted to zipping the files to force a download but then you have to assume the user has an unzip program and knows how to use it.

Everett Cox · Post by **Everett Cox** » 22 Oct 2002 11:40 am

Mark-- I don't understand (unless you made changes yesterday) because I *DO* get the standard download window when left-clicking the links. Same thing when right-clicking and doing the 'save as'. Your .mp3's are NOT 'streaming' for me. --Everett

Jeff Agnew · Post by **Jeff Agnew** » 22 Oct 2002 12:11 pm

Hmmm. I should have checked your files before opening my big mouth, er, keyboard. I get the same response as Everett.The files don't stream for me, either.

This means those who get the files streamed may indeed have it set that way in their browser's MIME type handling. My apologies to your ISP's competence.

In Netscape/Mozilla and in Opera you can set this directly, according to the file extension. I don't have IE handy but seem to recall it's more involved than that.

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 22 Oct 2002 4:31 pm

Well, I sent an email to this tech at my hosting company...you know, the guy who told me "It's not our problem it is yours". I sent him an email asking him change the MIME type for .mp3 files and now it works the way I want it to. I guess they lied to me the first time.

Well, I guess that's what I get for going with the cheapest hosting company I could find. They ranked really high on the ZDNet polls, and that is why I chose them. FYI the company is Ready Hosting

Thanks for all your help!

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com